The Importance of a Child’s Environment

Children are impacted by their environments around them, with new research findings surrounding how physical environments of chaos can impact a child’s mental health.

Research regarding how children’s physical environments impact them originated from Urie Bronfenbrenner’s theory on classic ecological systems, which centers on how people interact with and are affected by their environments. Bronfenbrenner’s theory inspired developmental and environmental psychologist, Gary W. Evans, to study how household chaos affects children. Evans has defined chaos as “noise, crowding, disorder, and instability.” Studies on chaos date back to the 1970s, with many focusing on themes of auditory and visual chaos.

Auditory chaos can have impacts on children’s ability to think, learn and focus. A study from 1975 found that children whose classrooms were near a train track had lower standardized test scores than their peers whose classrooms weren’t near the track. Other studies regarding the effect of auditory noise on children have found that children who live near airports have cognitive deficits and higher levels of stress. One study that studied noise in schools found that children’s background noise in urban high schools are two to three times more than the recommended limit.

The visual conditions of children’s environments, in and out of school, also impact a child’s development. Studies have found that children who grow up in houses that are in poor condition (e.g., houses that need repairs) experience emotional and behavioral problems as well as difficulty with math and reading. Further, children whose classrooms are decorative, but visually distracting had a tougher time focusing and being able to concentrate on their work in comparison to children in classrooms with less posters and artwork.

Studies have also focused on aspects of environments that benefit a child’s development, with some centering on the advantages of living near a green space. Children who have more access to green spaces, like parks and fields, had lower levels of behavioral and attention issues. It has also been found that children who live near green spaces displayed less aggressive behaviors and had higher IQ scores.

Overall, psychology has built a strong foundation for demonstrating the impact that physical environments have on children. Developmental and environmental psychology studies have shown that a child’s environment can impact their behavior and overall learning experience. Parents and educators alike can take these studies into consideration when producing and evaluating child environments.

Kylie Robinshaw

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Article Link: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/growing-places